Apparatus for severing pieces from a string of sugar

ABSTRACT

The invention disclosed relates to an apparatus for severing individual pieces of candy from a deformable string thereof. The apparatus is characterized by severing means having a plurality of knives which extend from the peripheral outer surface of a cylinder, and which cooperate with an impressible resilient roller for effecting severing of candy pieces. Use of the present apparatus permits cutting of candy such that there is no waste of material.

0 United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,747,453 Aquarius July 24, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FOR SEVERING PIECES FROM 3,289,513 12/1966 Johnson et al 83/344 A RI 0 S R 2,333,592 11/1943 Sieg 83/344 X 2,113,843 4/1938 Kalve 83/346 X lnvemorI Conrardfls Hubert q 1,659,715 2/1928 Baker et al. 83 347 Kanaalstraat 13, Weert, Netherlands Nov. 3 Primary Examiner-J. Meister Att0rneyl(urt Kelman [21] Appl. No.1 195,412

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 83/117, 83/167, 83/344, The n ention disclosed relates to an apparatus for sev- 83/347 ering individual pieces of candy from a deformable [51] Int. Cl, B23d 25/02, 26d 1/56, 326d 7/18 string thereof. The apparatus is characterized by sever- [58] Field of Search 83/344, 346, 347, ng m ns h ving a plurality of knives which extend 83/343, 331, 117, 167 from the peripheral outer surface of a cylinder, and which cooperate with an impressible resilient roller for [56] References Cited effecting severing of candy pieces. Use of the present UNITED STATES PATENTS apparatus permits cutting of candy such that there is no 2,145,048 1/1939 Hagen 83/346 x waste matenal' 2,555,947 7/1971 Fram 83/347 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures P JUL24 TENIEU I975 3.747. 453

sum 2 m 2 FIG.2

APPARATUS FOR SEVERING PIECES FROM A STRING OF SUGAR The present invention relates to an apparatus for severing pieces (lumps) from a continuously fed deformable string of candy, which apparatus, like an apparatus known from Dutch Pat. No. 124,257, is provided with a cylinder continuously rotating on its shaft during operation of the apparatus and having cavities at its peripheral outer surface, said cavities being adapted to receiving the severed string pieces, and being uniformly distributed over said surface, said apparatus also being provided with severing means which sever continuously the string of candy into successive pieces of candy.

In the said known apparatus the severing means are pivoting flaps which sever the string by cooperation with the walls separating the cavities from one another. In this embodiment the loss of candy string material which is wasted in the shape of grit at said separating walls, is too large. Moreover, there is a danger that waste material which is left on the said separating walls and to the flaps will unfavourably influence the action of the apparatus. The present invention has the object to remove the said objections in an apparatus of the above type.

The apparatus according to the present invention is substantially characterized in that the said severing means comprise on the one hand sharp edged knives which extend from the peripheral outer surface of the cylinder, which knives alternate with the receiving cavities and are uniformly distributed over the peripheral outer surface, and on the other hand a roller having an impressible resilient outer surface and being freely rotatably mounted on a shaft parallel to the cylinder shaft, the distance between the shafts of cylinder and roller being adjusted in such a way that when advancing the string of candy to the nip between the cylinder and the roller each knife gradually penetrates further into the string of candy and the roller rotates about its shaft as a result of the friction which occurs between the string of candy and the outer surface of the roller until ultimately the cutting edge of the knife temporarily impresses the outer surface of the roller and severs the piece of the string of candy positioned in front of the knife, which severed piece is carried away by the cylinder cavity which is contiguous to the knife.

When sharp edged knives are used, which cooperate with the impressible resilient surface of the roller, it is ensured that without loss of material pieces are severed sharply and completely from the string. As the knives alternate with the receiving cavities it is ensured that the severed pieces each'arrive int a receiving cavity. Since the roller which is freely rotatably supported on its shaft rotates about its shaft during severing the string, the knives which temporarily impress each time the resilient surface of the roller, do not exert a scraping action along said surface, which would be the case when a stationary roller would be used. Consequently, the knife edges remain sharp and the surface of the roller is not wornout.

The above features, and other features of the apparatus according to the present invention are elucidated in the following description of an embodiment of the apparatus which is represented in the drawing.

FIG. l shows substantially an end view and partially a section of the apparatus.

FIG. 2 shows partially a side view and partially a longitudinal section of the apparatus according to FIG. 1.

The apparatus is provided with a cylinder which continuously rotates about its shaft during the operation of the apparatus. Said rotation is effected by a gearing 2. In its outer peripheral surface the cylinder comprises cavities 3 adapted to receive severed string pieces 4, which cavities are uniformly distributed over said sur face. Further the cylinder is provided with sharp edged knives 5 which extend from the peripheral outer surface. Said knives alternate with the cavities 3 and are uniformly distributed over the peripheral outer surface of the cylinder.

Further the apparatus is provided with a roller 6 comprising an impressible resilient outer surface and being freely rotatably mounted on a shaft 7 parallel to the cylinder shaft.

The distance between the shafts of cylinder and roller is adjusted in such a way that when advancing the string of candy 8 to the nip between the cylinder and the roller each knife 5 gradually penetrates further from above into the string of candy 8. Said string of candy 8 is fed in a gutter 9 from for instance an extruder (not represented). As the knife penetrates further into the string of candy, said string is pressed more tightly against the outer surface of the roller 6. As a result such a friction is created between the lower surface of the string of candy and the outer surface of the roller, that the roller 6 rotates in the direction of motion of the string. Finally the knife penetrates completely through the string, and the sharp cutting edge of said knife impresses the resilient outer surface of the roller over a small distance. in this way a complete and sharp severing of the string pieces is ensured.

The severed string pieces 4 are kept in place in the cavities 3 by a curved plate 10 extending from the roller 6 along the periphery of the cylinder to the lowermost point of the cylinder at which point the string pieces are transferred to transfer blocks 11 moving underneath the cylinder in the direction of the arrow. Each time a string piece is pressed out of a cavity by an ejector means, which substantially consists of a pin 12 which extends radially through the bottom of the cavity and is normally pressed radially inwardly by a pressure spring 13 in such a way that it does not yet extend into the cavity. From the middle of the cylinder a stationary arm extends downwardly. The lower end of said arm functions as run-on surface for the rounded tail end of the pins. Each time the rounded tail end of a pin runs onto the run-on surface, the pin is pushed radially outwardly and into the cavity 3 so that the string piece positioned in the cavity is pressed outwardly and falls into a transfer block 11.

Each of the knives 5, which are positioned radially with respect to the cylinder 1, comprises a knife blade parallel to the cylinder shaft, which blade is removably secured to the cylinder periphery by means of bolts 15. The cylinder itself is removably secured to the hub of the gear 2.

The outer surface of the roller 6 which is freely rotatably mounted on its shaft 7 by means of ball bearings, consists preferably of rubber having a Shore hardness of 100. However, the present invention is not restricted to the application of this material. The shaft 7 of the roller 6 is mounted to a lever 17, the lower end of which is pivotably connected (at 18) with the frame of the apparatus. In this way it is possible to pre-adjust the depth of impression of the roller outer surface by the knives. The roller can also be withdrawn from the knives by means of the lever 17, after use of the apparatus. The lever 17 can be locked in any desired position by means of the slot 19 and the bolt extending therethrough.

The present invention is not restricted to the described and represented embodiment of the apparatus, but comprise all alternative embodiments covered by the claimed rights.

I claim:

1. An apparatus which comprises in combination, a cylinder disposed on a cylinder shaft for rotation, said cylinder having a plurality of cavities uniformly distributed along its peripheral outer surface, said cavities adapted to receive severed pieces of candy material, severing means which sever pieces of candy material, means for feeding continuously a string of candy material to the severing means, said severing means formed of sharp edged knives uniformly distributed over the peripheral outer surface alternate with the cavities and extending radially outward relative said cylinder shaft, a roller having a impressible resilient outer surface, said roller being freely rotatably mounted on a shaft disposed parallel to the cylinder 'shaft, the distance between the shafts of the cylinder and the roller being adjustable such that advancing string of candy is received at the nip between the cylinder knives and the roller, said knives disposed to gradually deform the resilient roller surface, said roller being rotated about its shaft by means of friction between the string of candy and the outer surface, the roller being mounted on a pivoting lever structure for adjustment of impression depth of the knives into the roller, an arcuate surface disposed from the resilient roller to a candy piece exit for retaining candy pieces within said cavities, a pin extending through the bottom of each cavity and adapted to eject a severed piece of candy material from the cavity, said pin being spring biased and moveable radially outwardly upon rotation past a stationary run-on surface disposed relative the tail end of the pin, and a severed candy piece receiving means disposed for receiving ejected candy pieces from the cavity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each knife blade is removably secured to the outer periphery of the cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the roller consists of hard rubber having a Shore hardness of 100. 

1. An apparatus which comprises in combination, a cylinder disposed on a cylinder shaft for rotation, said cylinder having a plurality of cavities uniformly distributed along its peripheral outer surface, said cavities adapted to receive severed pieces of candy material, severing means which sever pieces of candy material, means for feeding continuously a string of candy material to the severing means, said severing means formed of sharp edged knives uniformly distributed over the peripheral outer surface alternate with the cavities and extending radially outward relative said cylinder shaft, a roller having a impressible resilient outer surface, said roller being freely rotatably mounted on a shaft disposed parallel to the cylinder shaft, the distance between the shafts of the cylinder and the roller being adjustable such that advancing string of candy is received at the nip between the cylinder knives and the roller, said knives disposed to gradually deform the resilient roller surface, said roller being rotated about its shaft by means of friction between the string of candy and the outer surface, the roller being mounted on a pivoting lever structure for adjustment of impression depth of the knives into the roller, an arcuate surface disposed from the resilient roller to a candy piece exit for retaining candy pieces within said cavities, a pin extending through the bottom of each cavity and adapted to eject a severed piece of candy material from the cavity, said pin being spring biased and moveable radially outwardly upon rotation past a stationary run-on surface disposed relative the tail end of the pin, and a severed candy piece receiving means disposed for receiving ejected candy pieces from the cavity.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each knife blade is removably secured to the outer periphery of the cylinder.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer surface of the roller consists of hard rubber having a Shore hardness of
 100. 